Learning to DealHow They Grew Up
by Simplyputme123
Summary: This story is in the same timeline as my other story, Love Finds a Donut. This is Mac and Dick's story, of how they became friends, bonded and found common ground. I hope you guys enjoy it!
1. Chapter 1

Dick is slumping over passed out on his deck chair when Mac found him. She had been sent over on an errand. Logan asked Veronica to check up on him, but her dad had a doctor's appointment, so Mac drew the short straw. Her instructions were to bring over coffee and a breakfast burrito and to make sure that Dick hadn't hurt himself last night. Mac pretended that she didn't remember what last night was, but she had spent the night with half of a bottle of scotch herself. It was Cassidy's birthday. He would have been 28.

She always sent flowers to his grave, the one she could never bring herself to visit. Needless to say, she was very surprised to see the same bouquet that was delivered there laying in Dick's arms as he lay curled around them, trying to protect them. By this point they looked hopelessly wilted, but then again so did Dick. It still brings a small smile to her face.

Mac goes to the door and unlocks it with Veronica's key (really Logan's, but he was out somewhere that no one was supposed to know). Putting the burrito and the two cups of coffee on the island she grabs two large glasses and fills them both half way with water. She snags a blanket on her way back out to the deck. She places both glasses on the table next to Dick and covers him up with the blanket. Mac pulls the flowers out of Dick's arms and places them in one of the glasses of water. Dick whimpers softly, but just pulls the blanket closer around him and continues to sleep.

"Well, it looks like I'll be here for a while." Mac whispers to herself, then goes to her car to grab her laptop. After getting her cup of coffee from the kitchen and putting Dick's into the microwave to try and keep it warm she settles on the deck chair next to Dick and sets up to spend some time on her laptop.

A few hours, and 3 cups of coffee later, Dick starts to stir. The first thing he notices when he opens his eyes was the bouquet of flowers in the water glass.

"I don't remember doing that." Dick tastes his mouth for a moment. "Ugh, gross. I think I need the water more than the flowers." He goes to reach for the glass of water and then notices the blanket covering him. "Wait, what's going on?"

Mac gets up and hands Dick the second glass of water. "Try this glass. No pesky flowers in this one." He looks up confused at her.

"I think I'm still drunk. But thanks, imaginary Ghostworld." Her grabs the water and chugs in down in one go.

"Not drunk, probably really hungover though. There is coffee and a breakfast burrito inside. Let me get them for you. And a refill of water." Mac reached down and snagged the glass from his limp fingers as she quickly moved inside.

Dick looks around really confused. He moves to sit up more comfortably on the chair, and then immediately puts his head into his hands, moaning. It takes Mac a few minutes to come back out, but when she does she has a tray with the coffee, burrito, water and a bottle of aspirin on it.

She slides it onto the table next to him and then pulls her chair up closer to his.

"How are you feeling today?"

Dick grunts in response, then peering through his hands, sees the food and aspirin. He grabs the bottle and shakes a few pills into his hand before using the coffee to swallow it. He lays back down and closes his eyes again.

Mac settles back into her chair and pulls up her laptop, sending a quick email to Veronica.

Bond,

Dick is alive, awake and making nonintelligible grunts as of now.

I'm only staying until his first dick joke, or until he eats the gross food you made me bring him.

-Q

Almost immediately she gets an email back.

Q,

Thanks, from me and Logan. I owe you one.

-Bond

"So, you are really here." Dick doesn't open his eyes as he speaks, but he does reach towards the tray for the coffee.

"I am really here. Sent on assignment to make sure you were alive and planning on staying that way." Mac closes her laptop and sets it aside, cradling her cup of coffee in her hands. "So, are you?"

"Alive or planning on staying that way?" Dick smirks as he sips at his coffee. "I think I'm alive. Maybe. Although I don't know that your treatment of me this morning is making me think that I'm really awake."

"Hey, it's a job. I'm getting paid in candy and Italian food for this job, but it's still a job."

"Well, thanks. You're the first girl to bring me breakfast that wasn't trying to get into my pants. Unless you are?" One of Dick's eyes opens as he smirks towards Mac, looking for her reaction.

"Ha. In your dreams."

"That's why I'm not all that sure I'm awake. Although, there is definitely less clothing featured in those dreams. Not that I don't like that dress, but less clothes are always better." Dick waves his hand lazily towards Mac.

"Ok, eat your burrito and then my job is done. I had to make sure you were alive, awake and get something into your stomach that wasn't alcohol. Then I can leave." Mac puts down her coffee to put her laptop back into it's case and leans forward slightly, looking like she is ready to leave.

Dick takes another slow sip of his coffee, then opens his eyes and takes a look around. He is covered with a blanket, and Cassidy's flowers are in a vase. Well, the closest thing he has to a vase in this house. He takes a deep breath and sits fully upright.

"Thank you Mac. For the blanket and for taking care of my flowers. Normally I wake up with them all over me, and it takes a long shower to get rid of them." He reaches up to them and fingers one of the leaves.

"You could just leave them on his grave, you know. That's where they were left." Mac looks down to her hands as she says that.

Dick's eyes fly up to Mac's face as he hears that. He notices the way her hands are fidgiting and how she won't look at him.

"How do you know where the flowers are from?" Mac raises her head to him at hearing this, meeting his eyes.

"That is the same bouquet of flowers that he gave me. I have them delivered every year. Twice a year. Yesterday and..." Mac stops talking but hasn't broken eye contact with Dick yet. He watches as a single tear falls down her face and reaches a hand up to wipe it off, but it stops halfway there.

"Graduation Day." Dick brings his hand down and grabs the napkin off the tray, passing it to Mac. "Those evenings are the ones that I find the flowers there. The next mornings are the ones that I find them all over me."

"I can't go there. It's just a stone, and it's not enough. It's not right. So I have the flowers delivered and stay home alone." Mac wipes the tear off her cheek as another one falls. "They are supposed to stay there for him. So he somehow knows that I think of him."

Dick sits there for a long moment. "I didn't know they were from you. I never knew who they were from. I just knew that they meant that someone else was thinking of him too. That someone else didn't think he was a completely horrible murderer. So I take them with me. They come drinking with me, and they wake up with me. The flowers mean that for that one moment, someone else is mourning him too." His eyes drop down to his hands as he talks, and then he sees one of Mac's hand reach over and grab ahold of his. They sit like that for a long few moments. Dick transfers Mac's hand to just the one of his and starts to eat the burrito she had brought for him. They sit silently, holding hands as he finishes it and drinks the rest of his coffee. Mac's eyes stay on the bouquet of flowers while Dick's gaze keeps going back to her face, trying to burn the image of her silently and slowly crying over his little brother into his mind so it would never fade. Someone else cared. She still cared.

"I'm done eating. I'm awake and aware. I think I'll stay this way for a while yet. Thanks for the food. And the flowers." Dick's hand tightens on Mac's and then loosens, but doesn't quite let go. "I'll leave the flowers there next time."

"You can do what you want with the flowers. It doesn't really matter all that much." Mac slowly draws her hand back into her own lap. "I think they mean more to you now than they do to him."

"They are your flowers. I'll leave them there. Now, I am going to take a shower, and not have to wash them off of me this time. Your job here is done. Unless you want to join me?" Dick waggles his eyebrows as he says the last line. Mac gives him a small smile and a short laugh.

"Still, only in your dreams. I'm glad you are still alive, Dick. I'll see you around." Mac gets up and walks around the house to get to her car.

"See you." Dick stays out back, watching the ocean for a while before getting up. He rearranges the tray so the flowers will fit on it as well and brings it inside.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N - **Here's the second moment between these two. I hope you enjoy it as much as the first!

Disclaimer: Not mine, sadly. :( But I have fun borrowing them! :)

The next few months it seems to be back to business as normal between Dick and Mac. They only see each other when she stops by to pick up or drop off Veronica (who definitely isn't living there, she promises.) Dick always offers her a drink, and makes some absurd comment when she says no. A week before Logan is due to come home, Mac's birthday rolls around.

She walks back into Mars Investigations after a lunch with her parents and sees Veronica standing next to Mac's desk staring at the bouquet of flowers.

"Hey V. Where did those come from?" Mac hangs her purse and jacket on the coat rack as she walks toward the desk.

"They were just delivered for you. I haven't opened the card, but if you were going to be gone much longer, I might have." Veronica pulls the card out of the bouquet and passes it to Mac. Once she moves out of the way, Mac can finally see the whole bouquet and just falls into the client chair that she was next to. It's her bouquet, the one Cassidy gave her, but bigger, and more. The lilacs were there, as were the little purple daisies that she loved. There were purple roses as well, and a single white rose in the middle. The roses were new, but the bouquet was so similar. It takes a moment for Veronica to look at Mac and realize that she still hadn't opened the card, that she was just staring at the flowers.

"Hey, are you ok? Who are they from?" Mac doesn't respond to the questions, and Veronica kneels in front of her, starting to get worried. Mac finally looks into her eyes and hands over the card.

"Open it."

"Oh-kay." Veronica opens the small envelope and pulls out the tiny card. "It doesn't have a name on it."

"What does it say?" Mac is staring at the flowers again with the look like she isn't really seeing what is in front of her, but seeing something else entirely.

"Happy Birthday. From us both." Veronica turns the card over to make sure there isn't anything on the back. "That's it. Nothing else." She waits a minute to see if Mac will add anything to the surprise of who has flowers delivered to her, but she just sits and stares at them.

"Are you ok? Do I need to get rid of them? Q?" Veronica snaps her fingers in front of Mac's face a few times before she seems to come back into the room.

"No! You can't get rid of them. They are my flowers! Don't touch them!" Mac gets up suddenly and places herself between the flowers and Veronica.

"Ok, calm down Mac. I won't touch the flowers. Calm down. It's ok." Veronica backs off quickly, recognizing the part of Mac that was still broken, though she hadn't connected it to Cassidy. She places the card on the chair that Mac had been sitting in and slowly backs into her office, leaving the door just slightly ajar so Mac can come in when she wants to. Through the crack she watches Mac slowly reach up to touch the flowers, her hand raising aand lowering a few times before she can bring herself to touch them. She watches as Mac picks up the card and finally goes to sit in her desk chair, still off in her own little world somewhere. Mac reaches up again to bring first one of the roses down to her nose, and then one of the lilacs. Veronica opens her computer and starts to do some work, all while keeping one eye on her friend. When Mac still hasn't done any work in the next half hour, Veronica goes back out to the main office.

"Hey, since it's your birthday and all, why don't you head home early. Get yourself all dolled up for the big dinner tonight!"

Mac looks startled for a moment, like she had completely forgotten that Veronica, or anyone else for that matter even existed.

"Oh, Veronica! I am so sorry. I'll get back to work. And I'm sorry about biting off your head about the flowers. They are just special flowers." Mac's hand reaches up to one of the daisies as she talks, just to brush against one of the leaves.

"It's ok. I'm sure I've reacted worse a time or two. And go home. It's your birthday after all. Go get ready for dinner. I got everyone to agree to that new vegan place you wanted to go to. We will all be there at 6. Don't be late." Veronica grabs Mac's purse and jacket and holds them out to her.

"Ok, thanks. I'll see you then." Mac gingerly picks up the vase of flowers and carries it out of the office with her.

When Mac gets back to her apartment, she places the flowers in the middle of her coffee table and sits down on the couch to look at them some more. She finally picks up her phone and dials a number she never thought she'd use, but Logan had insisted it be programmed into her phone.

"This had better be a pretty lady, because if you are a telemarketer I'm hanging up. Unless you're a pretty lady telemarketer, and then we can talk." Mac lets out a short laugh.

"Hi Dick."

"Oh, Mac. Hi." Dick sounds serious and awkward over the phone, something Mac doesn't think she's ever heard him be before. "Wait, how'd you get this number?"

"Dick. My best friend is dating your best friend. Plus, PI slash computer hacking genius, remember?" She could hear Dick laughing through the phone. "But really, Logan gave it to me. He said I had to have it in case of something."

"Sounds like him. So why'd you call? I don't have something going on right now. Unless you count the game of Halo I was winning until you called."

"I just wanted to say thanks. I got sent home from work because I can't stop staring at them, but thanks. It's the first time I've gotten flowers in a long time." Mac holds the card in her hands, tracing the printed on words over and over. From us both.

"Happy Birthday Mac. Sorry I got you sent home from work. But really, who works on their birthday, dude?" She smiles hearing this.

"Dick, since when did you work on anyone's birthday?"

"Um, since never, but I've had an idea lately. After Logan gets back, I'll be staying at the Grand for a few nights because I don't need to hear Ronnie and him doing it anymore. I could use your computer savvy one day if you're free." Mac doesn't respond right away. "Mac? I'll pay you."

"How about we meet at the Java Hut? That works better for me."

"That works great. We'll talk at Logan's homecoming, k?"

"Alright. And Dick?"

"Yeah Mac?"

"Thanks again for the flowers. The roses are a great touch." She leans down to smell the bouquet as she talks.

"Bye Mac." Dick hangs up before Mac can say anything else and turns around to face the other man in the room with him.

"Sorry about that, important phone call. Now where were we?" Dick walks around the empty store, looking out at the boardwalk.

"So this is the last place on the boardwalk that we have available. There are a few more locations, but this is definitely the best place for a surf shop. You'll get the tourist trade and the locals." The man looks around, almost nervously.

"I'll take it. I'll call my accountant tomorrow and let him know that you will be calling to talk to him about the money. When can I get the keys?" Dick stares out the windows over the beach, his eyes caught by a small boy tagging along behind what looks like his older brother. As he watches, the older boy turns around and knocks the little boy in the sand, but before Dick can work up any anger, the older boy falls into the sand next to the little boy. They roll around in the sand for a minute, then the little boy pops up and runs into the water. The older boy quickly follows him and holds onto his hand as they play in the waves. His face is carefully blank as he turns back to the rest of the store.

"Once the papers are signed. After I talk to your accountant, I'll set up a time for us to sign the papers. Does that work?"

"Sounds perfect. I can't wait to get started."

**A/N 2: **I don't remember if it is ever said what types of flowers Mac likes, so I used my own favorites. I also like what they mean, if you know the language of flowers. The flowers that Cassidy had given to Mac were the Daisies and Lilacs, and Dick had added in the purple and white roses. Daisies are for innocence and hope, Lilacs are for the joy of youth or first love. The white rose means purity, and the purple roses are for enchantment, and love at first sight. Whether Dick and/or Mac know these meanings is something that may or may not come up in future chapters. Read on to find out!


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer - Not Mine, sadly. Wish it was! **Enjoy reading!**

"Well, we knew she would be useless today, but I thought she would at least show up here before heading out to pick him up." Keith looks up as Mac walks into the office.

"She hasn't shown up yet? I was supposed to finalize details for tonight's party with her." Mac walks around to her desk. "How are you doing today?"

Keith stands up from behind his desk, and just using one cane walks at a fairly normal speed to Mac's desk. "Much better. See, down to one of these! My PT says that I can start doing stakeouts soon, as long as they don't last more than 2 hours at a time." He sits down across the desk from Mac.

"So with one of us you can do them. Then you can take breaks as needed." Mac smiles as she teases him.

"Hey, this is a big deal for me. No making fun of the old guy. You work for me, remember?"

"Alright, alright! I'll be nice." Mac raises her hands in the air and waves her fingers around, laughing. "Oh, hey, a note from Veronica." Mac pulls a post-it note from her keyboard.

Mac -

I left early to go see Logan. We are staying at a hotel in LA tonight, less time spent driving. You can talk to Dick about the party, we will be in sometime tomorrow. Probably. I'll at least call Dad tomorrow.

Thanks!

-V

"Well, thanks Veronica. You couldn't have told us your plans in advance. You have to take the guest of honor from his party and spend it in a hotel room and not bother to tell the host of the party. This makes perfect sense." Mac picks up her purse again and looks towards Keith. "Can you man the desk stuff for today? All the files that are going to be picked up today are in that desk drawer, and nothing else is scheduled for today. I need to go tell Dick his party is canceled."

"Yeah, I can handle that. I have been doing this for a few years now."

"Thanks Mr. Mars. She says she will at the very least call you tomorrow. If she hasn't by 3, let me know and I'll find her for you." Mac walks to the door of the office, swinging her car keys idly around her finger.

"Sounds great Mac."

Mac walks up to the door at Dick's and knocks. After waiting a few moments with no response, she knocks again, harder this time. When Dick still doesn't answer the door she walks around the side of the house to the beach. Peering into the windows on that side of the house, she still can't see anyone.

"Hey, didn't your mom teach you it's not nice to peer into people's houses? Unless you want to catch me naked, but then again, all you'd have to do is ask, and I'd give you a private showing." Dick walks up from the beach in his wetsuit, carrying his surfboard, and startles her.

"Oh my God, Dick! Hasn't Veronica taught you not to sneak up on people yet? Don't scare me like that!" Mac jumps a good foot and a half in the air before leaning on the wall so she won't fall over.

"Well, Ronnie taught me not to sneak up on her, but you definitely didn't look like her. Plus, she has a key. And is picking up Logan today. So, not Ronnie, cute ass, sneak away!" Dick gives Mac his big grin, trying to make her smile too.

"Actually, Veronica and Logan are why I came over this early. She has kidnapped him to a hotel for the night, at least, and so the party needs to be rescheduled. Veronica felt this news had to be delivered in person. Sorry about that." Mac finally steps away from the wall, and gives Dick room to open his door and let the both of them inside.

"What?! Reschedule the shindig I worked so hard on! For my best friend, after he has been gone for 6 whole months! And not in jail, or on trial for any of those! I worked hard on this! It's not like I can pull a party out of my ass at an instant's notice you know! You tell Ronnie that this is not acceptable. I am Logan's room mate and best friend, and she can not get in between us like that!" Dick walks around the living room, waving his hands around like crazy until Mac starts laughing.

"You knew he wasn't going to be home tonight, didn't you?" She pulls out a chair from the table and sits down, tossing her purse in front of her.

"Mackie, he has been a boat for 6 months. It's his first night seeing Ronnie in 6 months. I told him I didn't want to hear them all night. I got an email last week saying they booked a hotel for a few nights before coming back here. I might not always like the way Logan's world works, but I know the order." He snags a towel from the counter and places it on the other chair at the table before sitting down across from Mac.

"Veronica, you, everyone else." Mac smiles ruefully at Dick.

"Veronica, big space, me, you guys, Keith, and then maybe he'll remember there are other people on this planet. It's how it works." Dick looks down, seemingly avoiding Mac's eyes.

"So when is the party actually going to be?"

"Two nights from now. On a proper Saturday night." Dick's smile reappears. "I have a bunch of stuff prepared. Fireworks even!"

"Goodness, fireworks?" When Dick nods enthusiastically, Mac keeps talking. "Well then, I guess my job of telling you that the party was off for tonight is done. See you Saturday, then?" Mac starts to stand up.

"Actually, since you are here already, can I talk to you about what I wanted to make a meeting about for later? Or do you have more stuff to do today?" Mac sits back down and looks at Dick. His face is serious, and he looks hopeful.

"Nope, I'm free for the rest of today. Do I need my computer?"

"Hopefully. Feel free to grab a beer and make yourself comfortable on the porch. I'm going to take a quick shower and get out of this wetsuit. I'll be back out in a few minutes." Before Mac could say anything about it being 10 in the morning and too early for beer, Dick was up and out of the room, heading up the stairs to his room.

"He didn't even make any comments about me joining him for the shower. He must really have something important to talk about." Mac starts a pot of coffee going and goes to grab her laptop from her car. She grabs the first cup brewed on her way back through the house and sits down on the porch, watching the waves come in and the kids playing in the sand. It only takes a few more minutes for Dick to come back down. She notices that he is carrying a couple folders and he looks apprehensive about this meeting.

"Hey, I put a pot of coffee on. As this is a morning meeting, and not a drinks and dinner meeting, I felt it made more sense. Grab a cup if you want, and then we can talk. I love your view, in case I haven't ever said that before." Mac tries to put him at ease with her words, and it works a bit. Dick smiles quickly and puts the folders on the table before walking inside to grab some coffee for himself.

He comes back outside and sits sideways in the chair next to Mac so that he is facing her.

"So what is this meeting about, Mr. Cassablancas?" Mac turns her head toward Dick and tries to act all professional, while still enjoying the sun and view of the ocean.

"How about we stick with Dick and Mac for this meeting?" When she nods, Dick continues. "I just recently leased some property to start a surf shop. Equipment, rentals, and lessons." At this, Mac turns to face him and gives him her full attention.

"That's great Dick!" He holds up his hand to get her to stop talking.

"I have a whole business plan for the store, and I think I know what I am doing in terms of that. This folder is the business plan for that, if you want to read through that." He holds up the blue folder he had brought down. "But what I really want your help with is the online side of things. Nowadays you have to have an online presence, or you fail so hard and fast that you leave craters behind. I need some help with a website, and someone to figure out all of the review sites and how we can monitor those, and all of that stuff." Mac opens her mouth to say something, but Dick wiggles his fingers to once again stop her from saying anything. "I know you work for Ronnie and Sheriff Mars now, but I'm still hoping that you can find time to help me out with this as well. I can't pay you in money right now because the rest of my trust fund is tied up in this house, the lease for the shop and inventory. I can write you in as a partner, and we can see how that goes, and I'd be happy to buy you out at some point once I get the cash flow in again. I just, I want to make this work. And I want to do it right, and prove to everyone that I can succeed. Yeah, I could have easily kept going the way I had been. Afer all, video games, surfing and babes is a pretty awesome life. But, I need to do this for me. Logan isn't going to be here to pick me up any more. I need to pick myself up now. Please say you can find the time to help me do this, and do it right?" Dick holds his hands out towards Mac, hands up in a pleading guesture. "Please?"

Mac reaches out and lightly places her hands in his. He looks down at them as if he didn't even notice his hands were out in the first place. "What's the name?"

"What?" Dick's eyes fly up to Mac's, making eye contact and holding it.

"The name of your shop, what is it?" She smiles slightly at him.

"Triton's Surf. It sounded cool to me." Dick closes his fingers lightly around hers, full of hope that she hasn't yet said no way.

"Triton's Surf." Mac pauses for a moment. "I like it. Let's see what you want and what you are willing to pay me and we shall see what we can work out." She holds Dicks hands tightly for a moment and then wiggles her fingers to get him to let go. She reaches over tot he other side of her chair and grabs her laptop from her bag.

"So, wait." Dick places a hand on Mac's laptop before she can open it. "That's a yes?"

She smiles at him, then opens her laptop. "That's a let's see how much work this will be so I can see how much of your profits I get to take."

"Yes." Dick smiles at her, then jumps up from his chair.

"Yes." Mac repeats after him. "Now, lets get to the actual work of making this happen. Then, maybe you can get me a beer."

Dick grins and sits down to open the second folder he had brought out.

**A/N - **Sorry for the long wait in updating. Life got in the way, as it usually does. I hope you guys have enjoyed this one too!


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